Staff at University of Essex begin strike action over pay and pensions
They will join 57 other universities in striking over pensions, pay and working conditions
Staff from the University of Essex will be striking from today until Friday 3 December on issues of pay, pension and working conditions.
University and College Union (UCU) members agreed on taking action in November, and backed two separate ballots.
Some universities are striking over pension cuts, others over pay and working conditions, but for the majority of those taking part, it's both.
Alex Eastwood is the regional support officer for the Eastern counties at the UCU. He told us: "The employers have imposed a 1 percent pay rise, which is essentially a pay cut when inflation is around 4 percent. They refuse to engage with us on the issues of pension cuts, increased workloads, early career staff who are being put on casual contracts or the gender and ethnicity pay gaps that exist.
"This despite the fact that they are all important issues that are affecting the sector."
He adds that they didn't want to take industrial action but the failure of universities to come to negotiating table meant that their hands were forced.
"Regarding the pay situation and various other problems like workloads, casualisation and gender, ethnicity pay gaps, we've said that we're willing to meet and have discussions with the employers' representatives.
"But so far they have been unwilling to enter into meaningful negotiations."
In writing to employer representatives, the Union asked for the decision to cut pensions by 35% to be revoked, and for a £2,500 pay increase for members.
The UCU also wanted employers to address issues such as unsafe workloads, equality pay gaps and to put an end to zero-hours contracts.
With the Union saying that employers are refusing to meet demands or even acknowledge the zero-hours contracts issue, members have warned more action could be "likely".
Speaking about strikes over pay last month, Raj Jethwa, chief executive of the Universities and College Employers Association (UCEA), said industrial action was "aimed at harming students" and was an "unrealistic attempt to try to force" 146 employers to reopen a concluded national pay round.
On the issues of casual contracts and workload, he said: "We have made repeated offers of joint work in these areas for two years but UCU has rejected them. UCEA genuinely wishes to engage on these matters as far as we can at a national level, noting that they are ultimately for local negotiations."
How will students be affected?
Last year, staff at 74 universities held a two-week long strike over pensions, pay and working conditions.
With university staff set to strike this week, teaching is likely to be affected for students once again.
Some students have expressed concerns over the possibility of lectures being disturbed due to the strikes, especially with the pandemic impacting on in-person learning.
However, the UCU says The National Union of Students (NUS) is backing staff who are taking industrial action, and a lot of students are taking to social media to express their support.
Universities have also told students they want to minimise the disruption and advised them to attend classes going ahead.
What universities are striking?
In total, 33 universities will see strikes over both pay and pensions:
- Aston University Birkbeck
- University of London
- Durham University
- Goldsmiths, University of London
- Heriot-Watt University
- Keele University
- King's College London
- London School of Economics
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Loughborough University
- Open University
- Royal Holloway, University of London
- Soas, University of London
- The University of Birmingham
- The University of Dundee
- The University of Kent
- The University of Leeds
- The University of Nottingham
- The University of Sheffield
- The University of Stirling
- University of Bradford
- University of Bristol
- University of Cambridge
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Essex
- University of Glasgow
- University of Lancaster
- University of Liverpool
- University of St Andrews
- University of Sussex
- University of York
- Queens University Belfast
- University of Ulster
Another 21 will see strikes over pay only:
- Courtauld Institute of Art
- Edinburgh Napier University
- Glasgow School of Art
- Greenwich University
- Kingston University
- Liverpool Hope University
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- Queen Margaret University
- Roehampton University
- Royal College of Art
- Royal Northern College of Music
- Sheffield Hallam University
- The University of Manchester
- The University of Northampton
- The University of Salford
- University of the Arts London
- University College London
- University of Brighton
- University of Central Lancashire
- University of Chester
- University of Leicester
Four will see strikes over pensions only:
- Institute of Development Studies
- Imperial College London
- University of Bath
- University of Reading
Staff at six institutions did vote for action over pay without striking, which the UCU says will begin on Wednesday and would involve "strictly working to contract and refusing any additional duties."
The six institutions are:
- Bishop Grosseteste University
- Bournemouth University
- Leeds Trinity University
- Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts
- St Mary's University College Belfast
- University of Winchester